This invention relates to remote control apparatus for controlling, from a remote location, predetermined operations of cooperating devices and, more particularly, to such apparatus wherein separate, incremental operations that must be carried out by such devices in order to permit a desired function to be performed are remotely controlled by a simple, single manipulation of such apparatus.
It is convenient and, in many instances, desirable, to control various operations of one or more devices from a remote location. For example, a user of home entertainment devices, such as a television receiver, a video record and/or playback device, and the like, may find it advantageous to operate such devices from the comfort of a remote location. Remote controlling apparatus, including a portable hand-held transmitter, is known wherein the user actuates function-selector switches, such as push-button switches, to command the operation of selected functions. For example, television remote control transmitter devices may be provided with selector switches, each operable to command an on/off operation, a channel-select operation, a sound volume control operation, and the like. Other remote control transmitters may be provided with selector switches which are selectively operable to control a video playback operation, a video record operation, stop-motion, slow-motion or scan operations, and the like. The latter operations may be commanded from a remote location and carried out by, for example, a video tape recorder (VTR) which is capable of recording and reproducing video signals for display on a television receiver. In such remote control transmitters, the command functions generally are represented by encoded command signals which are transmitted to the television receiver or VTR via ultrasonic, infrared and other modulated carriers.
Typically, when video information which has been recorded previously on a suitable record medium, such as video tape, is to be reproduced and displayed on the television receiver, the VTR must be disposed in its playback mode, the television receiver must be tuned to a predetermined, unused channel (i.e. a channel which normally is not used by any television transmitters in the reception area in which the television receiver is located), and the receiver electronics included in the television receiver must be electrically connected to the output playback electronics of the VTR. These conditions are readily attained by the user when he operates his remote control transmitter apparatus accordingly. Heretofore, the foregoing three conditions are established by three separate operations of the remote control transmitter apparatus. Usually, this requires the user to operate a VTR playback switch, and then a television channel-selector switch, and then a VTR/TV connection switch, all of which may be provided on the user's remote control transmitter apparatus. In response to the VTR playback switch, a signal is transmitted from the remote control transmitter apparatus, this signal being received and detected by suitable remote control receiving apparatus coupled to the VTR. In response to this received command signal, the VTR is disposed in its playback mode. Similarly, in response to the operation of the television channel-select switch, a channel-select command signal is transmitted, this signal being received by remote control receiver apparatus coupled to the televison receiver, whereupon this received signal is detected and used to select the appropriate unused channel. Likewise, in response to the operation of the VTR/TV connection switch, a VTR/TV connection command signal is transmitted, this signal being received by appropriate remote control receiver apparatus whereat it is detected and used to establish the necessary electrical interconnection between the VTR playback circuitry and the video circuitry of the television receiver. As one example, the command signals are transmitted in the form of digital signals, each digital signal being comprised of a multiple of bits to represent the corresponding command, and each digital signal being transmitted as, for example, an amplitude-modulated signal wherein a suitable carrier is amplitude-modulated. As mentioned above, this carrier may be an ultrasonic carrier, an infrared carrier, or the like.
A typical remote control transmitter generally includes numerous selector switches in addition to the aforementioned VTR playback switch, television channel select switch and VTR/TV connection switch. Therefore, in order to dispose the VTR/TV combination in proper, respective modes so as to enable video signals which are reproduced by the VTR to be displayed by the television receiver, the user must take care in operating the proper selector switches of his remote control transmitter. As a result, it is possible that the controlled devices may be disposed in unwanted modes or conditions, resulting in the performance of undesired functions. Furthermore, the operation of many selector switches in order to establish what the user perceives to be a simple playback mode may be troublesome to him.